Darkened Skies
by Twilight Nova
Summary: A number of years has passed since the end of the Eclipsed War. The world has rebuilt what damage was caused, and their heroes able to live far simpler lives. As much as they'd want it to stay that way, both Sonic and Tails knew that it couldn't last long. Now, the voice of their fallen enemy Eclipse speaks to them as they search for a way to save their world from ruination.


Place: Mobius NZ-3

Time: 10:54 AM

* * *

Upon the shattered grounds, the Time Wanderer fell to his knees.

Another explosion rang out from behind him. The screams of the G.U.N. units and fellow Mobians echoed as they were overtaken by the scourge washing over their world. And despite all he wished to do, all he could have done, the silver one did nothing.

A brief test of his strengths confirmed his belief. The comforting hum of his telekinetic power did not come to him. As he attempted to stand, a sharp pain rang out through his body, forcing him to the ground again. Looking beneath him, he found his left leg in disrepair - twisted roughly eighty degrees from where it should have been. In most cases, debilitating; but here, it needed to become an inconvenience.

The sound of time-space shifting. Massive starships appearing instantaneously in the sky above him, firing upon the weakened forces of Mobius with beams of concentrated energy. Smaller, more agile ships emerged from the sides of the destroyer, picking out targets and bombarding them with similar energies as well. In front of the Time Wanderer, on the cliff face, there was a legion of evils stationed with machines and weaponry unlike any he had ever known, firing upon those that would run from this enemy.

He tried his leg again. Though the pain returned, he began to stumble away from the battlefield, away from the slaughter, but to where? This enemy was simultaneously here and there, overcoming this world with little effort and ample time.

How did it come to this?

He heard shouting behind him. Straining his head, he gazed upon the enemy - men, half-men, Mobians, alien forms, quadrupeds, cloaked in black with grey markings running down the arms and legs, nigh formless save for the simple white mask upon their head, a broken Eclipsed Eye in the center attempting to cover... something. Two of them wielded a buckler and flanged mace; two dual-wielding falchions; two with a tower shield and a hand-axe; one with a rifle.

A shot rang out. Another pain shot through his good leg. He fell face-first, fully crippled. The sound of footsteps thumping upon the packed, cracked ground, racing towards him. He prepared himself.

A hand on his shoulder turned him onto his back. He raised his arms too late - a blow to the side of his skull with the mace. The ones with axes drove their weapons into his shoulders, pinning him to the ground. The first mace wielder prepared to swing again, but was stopped by the second, one of the quadrupeds, whose weapon was held beside them in a navy blue aura. This one approached him, allowing a more detailed glance at the mask - there were also slight grey cracks, likely designed that way, but the object behind the broken Eye still couldn't be made out.

The quadruped spoke, a thick but soft voice. "You are very lucky that you weren't picked off by the Watchers. Lord Amarant would have been very disappointed in us."

The silver one spit on the mask - or tried to, as the globule was caught in the navy blue and flung off to the side. "And how, exactly, would that pertain to me? Sounds like your problem."

If he could see behind the mask, there would likely be a grin. He could hear it in the voice. "Because then, we'd come back here, grab your body, bring your soul back from whatever purgatory you entered, and tortured you until we felt it was fine to send you in. Now then," the mace rose menacingly in the corner of his vision, "are we going to do this willingly? Or forceful-"

A crash of fear shook throughout his body. Behind it came despair. Doubt. Anger. Hatred. Envy. Pride. His mind was overwhelmed by this sudden uprising of sin, and he barely managed to maintain conscious thought as more emotions arose, stronger than they ever had been before. The quadruped backed away, as did his compatriots. The Time Wanderer brought his head upwards.

He gazed upon evil incarnate.

The demon's voice rang through his head, whispers hidden beneath it, tugging at every memory, every thought. "You seem rath-rath-rather hot-headed. Just how am I going to fix this?" The being was beside him now - milliseconds ago it was there, now it was here, no announcement of its arrival. "Ah. I have just the thing." It reached down, picked the silver one up - with two massive claw-finger-things - and began walking with him.

Out of the corner of his eye, the Time Wanderer bore witness to the massacre that was taking place - Mobian casualties strewn across the field as the invaders remained unscathed. He turned away from the carnage and saw now what appeared to be a lake. It was this lake that the demon was taking him to.

But it was not filled with water. Within, a mass of shifting colors swirled inside, forcing terror into his mind further and further, moment by moment. The claw-finger-things held him over the void, and he gazed despairingly at the eyes of the monster - glowing jade green pits that stared into his soul.

"A dip in the lake is just the thing to clear your head. As long as you are careful not to slip."

And then, the Time Wanderer fell.

\/

Place: Shalorene, the Nightmare Nexus

Time: ?

* * *

Lord Amarant approached the nineteen thrones of the Masters. Only twelve were filled at the time.

He kneeled before the one in the center of the circle - the largest, sharply-edged and grandiose, though it seemed to be shifting all the time. Upon the throne, the Highlord awaited.

"My lord, I have come to report that the destruction of Mobius NZ-3 is complete. The prisoners that you detailed have been taken, and everyone else eradicated. We await your further command."

A brief period of silence. Amarant remained kneeling, not wanting to risk the consequences of failing to show respect to the lord of Omniverse-Alpha.

"Well, that's a pleasant surprise. Inform the Black Viper that the planet is to be annihilated. It will serve us better as atoms than as a complete object."

Lord Amarant stood and bowed. "Consider your will done, Highlord." He turned to leave, but was stopped by a crisp "Wait." He turned back towards his ruler, who had in his hand a hologram.

"You have a new assignment. This is Mobius TCE-6. Perhaps the name is familiar to you?" Amarant nodded, his eyes only slightly wider. He knew what had occured upon TCE-6. The events there were considered critical to his masters. "Your primary targets for capture are Miles Prower and the Unholy One. Your secondary target is Sonic the Hedgehog. Following their acquisition, you are to destroy this world as well. Is everything clear?"

"Crystal, Highlord." Lord Amarant saluted him - feet at shoulder-length, arms tensed by his side, head tilted slightly up; it was a sign of both confidence and submission, for his body was laid bare before the Highlord. "Your will shall be done."

Lord Amarant took his leave. The Highlord leaned back, placing his chin upon his fist. "You have run for long enough, Eclipsed fool. Now, you will know the full wrath of the Voxaraz:Xivon."

/\


End file.
